“The Convoluted Connection”
A fine line between street drugs and prescribed medication has been created. Unfortunately, the medication that is given to us by people we look to for answers is what is piquing curiosity and causing addiction in America. America has nearly one-hundred percent of the world-wide total for hydrocodone and eighty-one percent for oxycodone prescriptions.
As you can see, we are reaching the all-time high for narcotic prescription and distribution with opioids accounting for the greatest portion of prescription drug abuse. It has even become an apparent fact that in this century there are more overdoses and deaths caused by opioid analgesics than heroin or cocaine. There are now more deaths by overdoses than deaths by car crashes in our society and most of these overdoses are caused by prescription medications.
Pain Medications
The United States, indeed, has a medicated population. If a person says they are in pain or having trouble with something in life, the average American will respond with “Have you seen a doctor?” However, prescription medication is just the start of the vicious cycle. Speaking from personal experience, pain medications are an introduction to a much more crippling monster.
What began as a surgery on my ankle, led to a prescription of Percocet. From that moment, I saw how the medication could grant me the ability to become numb to everything around me whether it be pain or something I didn’t want to face in life. I also noticed the high demand among my friends and co-workers for opiates, so thought, I could make money selling these and get high for free.
This led me to multiple pain management doctors looking for the medications I desired. Doctor shopping became a habit and getting high became a debilitating problem. I began using more than I could legally obtain and my drive for the high was more important than ever. One day, I asked a friend if he had any more Percocet and he told me no. He then proceeded to offer me what he called a much better and cheaper substitute for the pills I wanted, heroin. I was already into withdrawal at this point and even though I had heard many horrible stories about heroin, I agreed to try it.
Heroin
The moment I tried heroin, I knew there was no turning back. I was hooked. I developed an even deeper addiction when I started spending more and more money on the substance that was easier to obtain than a prescription. At this point, my tolerance was through the roof and I needed more and more of the drug to receive the same effect as the first time I did it.
One day, my friend asked me if I ever considered using a needle, I replied “no”. Eventually, he talked me up to the point where my curiosity overrode my good judgment, once again, and I made the decision to attempt it. This was the pinnacle of opiate abuse and I was trapped in a spider web of my own design. Nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported using prescription opioids before trying heroin.
“Every time I tried to get away from it I would be dragged back down, it was my friend, my lover, and my destruction.
It all started with one pill…”
Every time I tried to get away from it I would be dragged back down, it was my friend, my lover, and my destruction. It all started with one pill and ever since that day, I battled with it. Even after maintaining sobriety multiple times for periods lasting over a year, I could still hear it calling my name in the back of my head. I always considered myself an individual with a great deal of intelligence and sure mindedness.
The Cycle of Abuse
However, when it came to the ultimate physical addiction my integrity was no match, my intelligence useless, and my reality broken. Throughout my experiences and research, I’ve been able to obtain much data about the connection between every opiate. There are many ways to treat pain and opiates are no treatment, opiates are a filthy band-aid used to mask pain. They also caused me much physical and emotional pain, constantly getting high then getting myself sober leaving my body scarred internally and externally. After prolonged use of opiates, my body still isn’t regulated properly.
The cycle of abuse starts with doctors and ends on the streets, don’t succumb to this monster. Take effective actions to seek healthier alternatives. Don’t suppress yourself with chemicals. Be a free individual, who isn’t shackled at the ankle made to answer to the whims of such a horrible demon.
—Zech, Narconon Student
